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(No Model.)

F. A. GRATER. LOCKING GEAR FOR WINDLASSES. No. 316,259. Patented Ap .21, 1885.

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NlTE STATES ATENT FFrcE.

FRANCIS A. GRATER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

LOCKING-=GEAR FDR WINDLASS ES.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,259, dated April 21, 1885.

Application filed March 13. 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS A. GRATER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking-Gear for Windlasses; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, refereuce'being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved device for connecting and disconnecting the loosely-mounted chain-wheel or wildcat of a Windlass with the driving mechanism; and it also mounted within said driving-head. An

annular nut is loosely mounted upon the grooved hub between suitable thrust-collars for the purpose of engaging with the screwthreaded keys, whereby in taking in the chain cable the operator, by simply turning said nut, causes the locking-key (or keys) by means of the threaded key and link to move in an outward or radial direction and engage with the overhanging rim of the wild-cat, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

By means of my improved locking-gear, which embodies the principle of the screw and toggle-j ointed lever, the operator is enabled to exert a greater effective force or pressure than has been heretofore attainable in machines of this class. .The device is equally adapted to be used to connect the driving-head and wild cat by frictional contact, or, with slight modifications, by the common block-key.

The object of my present invention is to provide a Windlass with more efficient means for controlling the wild-cats both in taking in the chain cable and paying out the same, the Windlass when frictionally connected as shown enabling the operator, by means of the annular nut, to regulate the speed of the outrunning cable. The device also enables me to dispense with the friction-bands, stands, and connections therefor as commonly employed, thereby materially reducing the cost of such machinery.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the wildcat and its driving-head of one side ofa Windlass, the locking device being disconnected from the loosely=niounted wildcat. View of the same, a portionthereof being broken away to shown the locking-key which engages frictionally with the wild-cat. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the wild-cat,

Fig.

Fig. 2 is afront however, being represented as connected or locked to the driving-head. Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the driving-head and locking device. Fig. 5 is a similar view in section. Fig. 6 is a view of the link. Fig. 7 covers both a plan and sectional view of the screwthreaded key. Fig. 8 is a reduced partial front iew corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing a block-key in lieu of the friction-block. Fig. 9 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a'pump-brake'windlass as provided with the improved locking device.

The following isa more detailed description of the improvements shown and claimed herewith.

Again, referring to the drawings, A designates a common form of wild-cat mounted loosely upon the Windlass-shaft O.

Brepresents the driving-head, so called, rigidly secured to said shaft, the head being disk-shaped and partially covered by the overhanging rim a of the wild-cat. b is the hub of the driving-head, having two oppositelyformed longitudinal grooves or slots, h h,therein. The outerend of said hub is reducedin diameter at I); (see Fig. 5,) and forming the shoulder 8, a collar, 6, being secured to the faceof the hub, and also forming a shoulder, b

H H designate keys, which slide freely within the slots h, the top or peripheral surface of said keys having a series of partial screwthreads, h formed thereon.

D D designate T-shaped locking-blocks, each fitted within a corresponding recess of the head B, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) the outer peripheral surface of said blocks conforming to the curvature of the inner surface of the ring a, forming apart of the wild-cat. d is a stem or tongue extending from and forming a part of said key D, the lower or inner end thereof being connected with the link M by means of the pin 01, the link in turn connecting with the inner end of the key H, before described, thereby uniting all said parts together.

R designates an annular nut, its inner surface having a screw-thread formed thereon for the purpose of engaging with the threads h of the keys H. Said nutis mounted upon the neck portion 1) of the hub, and upon which it is adapted to freely revolve, said shoulders s 1) serving to retain the nut in position longitudinally. The nut is further provided with handles r, which alternate with a series of holes, 1", the latter adapted to receive the operating-lever L. (Shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.)

In Figs. 8 and 9 the wild cat A is represented having its rim (6 provided with a series of interior notches or pockets, the latter being adapted to receive the free end of the locking block or key D in lieu of the frictionally-connected wild-cat shown in the other views. In the former cases, however, the pitch of the screw-thread may be made coarser, if desired.

The operation of looking or connecting the loosely-mounted wild-cat to the driving-head of a Windlass, whereby said parts are made to revolve in unison, may be substantially described as follows: The nut R is first revolved in the arrow direction by means of the handles r, thereby forcing the keys H along the grooves h and toward the wild-cat. This movement of the keys, by means of the links M, forces the frictionblocks D outwardly or radially to engage the inner surface of the rim a of the wild-cat, the bar L serving, when necessary, as a lever to increase the pressure or force of said blocks against the wild-cat,

. the thrust or reaction upon the nut being borne by the shoulder N. The wild-cat thus being secured to the driving mechanism adapts the Windlass now to be used in taking in the chain or for other purposes common to this class of machinery, the arrangement also enabling the operator to have full control of the wild-cat in paying out the cable by means of said frictional contact of the parts, thereby dispensing with frictionbands and their connections, as commonly constructed.

It is obvious that the top surface of the locking-key D may belined with wood or other material, if desired. Its form also may be made A-shaped. In such case,however,theinner circumferential surface of the rim ashould have a corresponding V-shaped groove.

My improvement is adapted to be usedboth in pump-brake and capstan windlasses. When applied to the former class, I prefer to enlarge the drivinghead B, and provide the same with the rim B, (see Figs. 3 and 10,) thereby reducing materially the distance between the bits T T.

a screw-threaded key arranged in the hub of 8 the driving-head, said keys engaging with an annular nut mounted upon said hub and provided with means for operating the same, whereby the axial movement of the nut causes the locking-blocks to move in an outward or radial direction, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a wild-cat mounted on the driving-shaft, of the locking device herein described, consisting of one or more locking-blocks, D, screw-threaded keys H,

links M, connecting said blocks, and nut R, having handles r and sockets r therein, said nut engaging with the keys H and mounted on the hub of the driving-head between suitable thrust-collars, said device being mounted within the driving head of the Windlass, all substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth. I

3. In a windlass having a wild-cat loosely mounted on the driving-shaft and a drivinghead secured to said shaft, the combination therewith of one or more locking-blocks and screw-threaded keys mounted within thehead, said keys being connected with the lockingblocks and provided with a suitably-arranged nut for operating the same, substantially as shown and described.

4. Thelocking device herein described, consisting of one or morelocking-blocks,D,screwthreaded keys H, links M, connecting said blocks and keys, and nut R, engaging the keys H, the whole combined and arranged within the driving-head of a Windlass, whereby said nut in its axial movement is adapted to slide the blocks D in an outward or radial direction, as'and for the purpose set forth.

5. The locking device herein described, consisting of one or more locking-blocks,D,screwthreaded keys H, links M, and nut R, the

whole combined and arranged within the driv-' ing-head of a Windlass, whereby said nut in its axial movement causes the blocks D to slide in an outward or radial direction for the purpose of interlocking with the pockets to of the loosely-mounted wild-cat A, substantially as shownand set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS A. GRA'IER.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. REMINGTON, CHARLES HANNIGAN. 

